Pianist and arranger Marty Paich gets the credit on the cover, but this 1955 album is indeed a true collaboration between Paich and his sidemen: the great trombonist Herbie Harper, Larry Bunker on vibes, Curtis Counce on bass, Jack Costanzo on bongos, Frankie Capp on drums and vocalist Mickey Lynne who sings on one track. This recording was intended to be the first in a series of albums named after the Hollywood jazz club Jazz City.

An excellent swinging Bethlehem session from the mid 50s – one that’s recorded in LA, but with a sound that’s way hotter than most of the label’s other west coast sides! The group’s extremely tight – and features Marty Paich on piano as the leader, next to great trombone from Herbie Harper and vibes from Larry Bunker! Bunker’s vibes offer a nice contrast to the usual smooth west coast group from the time – as he hits the bars with a nice hard clang that wakes everyone up to groove – and Jack Costanzo is on bongos on all tracks, and he adds a great little kick that keeps things fresh, too. Mickey Lynne sings vocals on ‘That Old Black Magic’, and all other tunes – like ‘Zing! Went The Strings’, ‘Blues In The Closet’, and ‘The Natives Are Restless Tonight’ – are instrumental.